Notre Dame continued its red-hot start to the season this weekend by crushing Virginia in a three-game series sweep, which has vaulted the Irish from ranking to No. 15 on the ranking of Baseball America.
Notre Dame beat the previously ranked Cavaliers by 30-12 and won every game by at least five races. The Irish offense knocked out seven home runs, with second baseman Jared Miller (3), first baseman Niko Kavadas (2) and right fielder Brooks coetzee (2) everyone walks the farm on several occasions. That trio ran in 18 of Notre Dame’s 30 races during the weekend series.
Grad transfer crutches John Michael Bertrand had his second straight outstanding during the 12-4 Saturday win. Bertrand went seven laps and allowed only three races in five hits. Another degree of transfer – reliever Joe Sheridan – came out of the pen and hit five pointless rounds in the Friday series opener which Notre Dame won 10-5. Sheridan struck out seven strokes in the victory.
Notre Dame is now 7-2 on the season and has won three straight ACC road races to start the season, which included a couple of series wins over previously ranked opponents (Wake Forest, Virginia).
Here’s what Baseball America wrote about Notre Dame’s big jump in rankings:
“Notre Dame won a third ACC series in a row to start the season, and this time Virginia celebrated impressively. Against a talented Cavaliers pitching staff, the Irish had no trouble setting up races in bundles. Second baseman Jared Miller had a great weekend, went 8-for-15 with four doubles and a couple of home runs. Niko Kavadas and Brooks coetzee also had two home runs during the series. The two best pitching performances for Notre Dame may both have been out of the bullpen. In game 1, Joe Sheridan threw five pointless rounds in relief, giving up one hit and two trips with seven strikes. And in Sunday’s final, Tanner Kohlhepp threw 4.2 pointless innings with two hits allowed. The ACC results have been wild this season, but Notre Dame has been as consistent as any team so far. “
Notre Dame hosts Duke this weekend for a three-game series, and it will be the season’s first home series for Fighting Irish and head coach Link Jarrett. Jarrett is in his second season and he has collected an 18-4 record so far. The impressive part is that Notre Dame has not yet played a home game during its 22-hour period. He also has 4-0 in ACC league games, which include a three-game sweep of North Carolina last season.
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